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Canon:Vosgaard
Introduction The most desolate and remote region of Cerilia is called Vosgaard. It lies in the north-eastern reaches of the land, beyond the Drachenaur Mountains and north of the Rhuannadaraight. The cold waters of the Leviathan's Reach form the northern border of Vosgaard, and to the east lie the stormy waters of the Sea of Dragons. Vosgaard is a land of stark natural beauty, with impassable mountains and glaciers, vast belts of northern taiga, and bitter wind-swept plains. Much like the Rjurik lands, Vosgaard suffers from extremely cold winters and is haunted by monsters of all varieties. Life is difficult and violent in the lands of the Vos. Consequently, they are a fierce people who believe that might makes right. The other human races of Cerilia are inclined to view the Vos as evil barbarians, savages, and marauders, but this isn't an entirely truthful assessment. The Vos, once followers of Vorynn who were corrupted by Azrai, have their cities and kingdoms, and there are heroes of noble bearing among them. It's important to remember that by their own standards Vos warriors are acting with honor when they raid and pillage the lands of the Brecht or the Khinasi. And while no one will ever accuse a Vos of subterfuge or subtlety, it's also true that a person always knows where he stands with a Vos warrior. The code of courage and violent tendencies of Vos warriors and rulers have made north-eastern Cerilia a battlefield for the settling of their differences and feuds. The Vos hold "weaker" cultures in contempt and view the other peoples of Cerilia as potential slaves or enemies, but they absolutely hate each other. Travelers in Vosgaard should go to great lengths to avoid associating themselves with any particular chieftain or baronet -- it's dangerous to take sides, even by placing oneself under a chieftain's protection. The Nona and the Torva Although few outside Vosgaard would realize it, the Vos people are split between the nona ('New' or 'Upstart') Vos and the Torva ('True' or 'One') Vos. The nona Vos desire to turn the fantastic energies of the Vos people towards progress and unity. They want prosperous strong realms and will tolerate, to a limited degree, foreign gods and ideas. The torva, backed by a culture soaked in blood and fury for centuries and the worship of two powerful deities look to clan loyalties and temple following for leadership and see the ways of the nona as soft and cowardly. Player Realms Four realms appropriate for player characters (PCs) or heroes, including some invisible domains (law, guild, temple, and source holdings). Cwmb Bheinn Pinned Between the Raven and the Lamia, the elven realm of Cwmb Bheinn cannot afford the luxury of isolation enjoyed by other elven lands in Cerilia. The protection of the Rhuannadaraight would go for naught without both a determined ruler and some outside allies. Melyy Small and sparsely settled, the unobtrusive realm of Melyy recently underwent and amazing metamorphosis. Most of its farmers and fisherman have abandoned their occupations to seek silver in the Orlenaskyy Mountains. Farms quickly became grubstakes and fisheries shipping agents as silver fever swept the land. The sudden wealth has also drawn a substantial number of immigrants seeking their fortune by means both honest and otherwise. Rovninodensk Civil wars and battles for succession decimate the Rovninodensk's provinces once or twice every generation. Nona Vos currently have the upper hand, though their rule is far from stable. Yeninskiy Broken by might of the Iron Hand Orogs, the Khinasi-Vos realm of Merasaf fractured into two large states. To the southeast, modern Merasaf became a united Khinasi state, while Yeninskiy became a divided land torn between two cultural identities. NPC Realms These NPC realms should be used in the way as other "Not recommended for PC use" realms. Designed as the hero-kings' main political adversaries or allies, these realms can be used to instigate (or react to) diplomacy, trade and other domain actions. They respond to the PC's domains with actions of their own, and they will vie with the prospective hero-king's most familiar enemies, rivals and allies. Molochev To most of Cerilia, Molochev represents Vosgaard. The land may be warmer then many Brecht realms, but its Tsar epitomizes the cruel brutality most other human races take for granted in the Vos. He controls his provinces and holdings tightly with considerable aid from the One True Church of Vosgaard and his own secret source holdings. Lutkhovsky Split amongst the Surzek Goblins and the small Vos population, the provinces and holdings of Lutkhovsky do not even approach their potential - and perhaps never will. But with the silver mines of Melyy booming to the south, adventuresome settlers have begun to swell the human population. Velenoye Nearly devoid of vegetation and wildlife, Velenoye's provinces and holdings undergo drastic changes of fortune depending on how well or how badly its warriors fare against the Sword Rust Tribes and the dreaded Firosk Slecktra. In recent years, Velenoye has made inroads against the former, but has fallen to the latter. Zoloskaya Two factions controlled all the provinces and holdings within Zoloskaya's border until the "awakening" of the dragon of Vstaive Peak. Remarkable, the two factions seem to get along well. Hjorig Sparsely populated but not overly wild, the provinces of Hjorig provide a buffer between Vosgaard in the Brecht Overlook states. This Rjurik realm was once the Brecht realm of Gauren until it was conquered by Rjurik vikings centuries ago. Now the people suffer under an increasingly autocratic monarchy and talk of insurrection grows by the day. Nonhuman and Awnshegh realms The Gnoll Fells The deep woods of the Grovnekevic Forest blanket the craggy landscape characteristics of the Gnoll Fells. Like the gnolls that give the Fells their name, the realm is uneven, unpleasant, treacherous and unforgiving. Kal Kalathor The largest and most populous goblin realm of Cerilia, Kal Kalathor does not defer to its neighbors or play the game of civilization practiced by goblin realms to the west. Though not as savage or brutal as their northern cousins, the ice goblins, the goblins of Kal Kalathor do not fear their human, elf or awnshegh neighbors - to the contrary, even the powerful Raven would not lightly anger the innumerable inhabitants of Kal Kalathor. Sword Rust tribes Perhaps the only realm of orogs on Cerilia, the area known as the domain of the Sword Rust Tribes has had a short and colorful history. Perhaps challenged by the brutal nature of Vosgaard and the Vos themselves, small tribes of orogs in the Orleneskyy Mountains have banded together rather than fight each other for supremacy (as usual happens), and have hewn a small realm from the wild lands of northern Vosgaard. Whether the Sword Rust Tribes can maintain their unity remains to be seen. The Manticore's Domain Until about a few years ago, few people considered the Manticore more than a crazed awnshegh bent on the destruction of yet another realm. Now, it appears the ex-paladin turned awnshegh has begun to grasp power in the domain that bears his name (The Manticore's Domain) The Ravens's Realm (Ust Atka) Ust Atka (now known as: The Ravens's Realm) has labored under the Raven's rule for sixty-five increasingly brutal years as Warlord Tusilov, and has openly been known as the Raven for ten long years, the awnshegh has yet to face a serious challenge to his rule. Inhabiting the body of Warlord Tusilov, former regent of the realm, the Raven has made little secret of his supernatural origins. Without a doubt, his people know they are ruled by an awnshegh, but fear keeps them well in line. The Feral Lands The Battle Fens A large, virtually unsettled area in northern Vosgaard, the Battle Fens has a storied history and an infamous reputations. Protected slightly from the worst of the northern weather by the high trees of the Grovnekevic Forest and peaks of the Klessberg, most of the Battle Fens remains free of snow for at least three months of the year. But that does not make the land any more attractive to the nearby Vos of Lutkhovsky, Velenoye or Rovninodensk, the barrier between the Shadow World and Cerilia is weak in the Battle Fens and strange beasts abound, while even experienced explorers can get lost in the shifting landscape. The Icemarch Well named by the rare trappers, hunters, and adventurers who have traveled the northernmost land of Vosgaard, frost and snow cover the Icemarch year-round. The Klessberg glacier, which begins in northern Drachenward, encroaches on the Icemarch across its northern coast. Even the southern provinces of the Icemarch, covered by pines of the Grovnekevic Forest, never escape the Vos winter. Although no substantial settlements are known to survive in the bleak Icemarch legends speak of fabled Timoshev, a city of graceful towers standing proud amongst the ice. The Mistmoor A dark and uneven land forever shrouded in an unnatural veil, the Mistmoor has been the site of more famous battles than any other realm in Vosgaard. Long before the humans arrived in Cerilia, elves and humanoids struggled among the moors, falling to each other's weapons and fell magics. Brecht warriors, fleeing the famous Battle of Lake Ladan, fled and died in the Mistmoor. Even after their victory in Rzhlev, Vos armies returning through the moors found their progress impeded by unnameable beasts and horrors. According to legend, when the gods of the humans destroyed Azrai, the Lord of Shadow's essence lingered briefly in the Mistmoor, cursing it for all time. Tuar Annwn The heart of the Grovnekevic Forest lies somewhere in Tuar Annwn, and it is a dark heart indeed. More than any other elven realm, Tuar Annwn remains at war with the world. In other lands the elves may have forgotten the Gheallie Sidhe. Even in southern Vosgaard, in Cwmb Bheinn, the war between elves and humans to have ended. But not in Tuar Annwn. Never in Tuar Annwn! Vosgaard